The present invention relates to a piezoelectric lighter and particularly to an improved actuation device for piezoelectric lighters having a spark arrestor equipped with a tension unit as an accessory.
Known actuation devices include percussion mechanisms having operative means housed in metal casings that also form part of the lighter. These actuation devices contain, besides the ignition unit, a hammer mounted between a pair of springs that provide the striking force and return force for the hammer.
The hammer is positioned as a combined element in the metal casing. The casing has a latch operating a runway within the casing that responds to a displacement by releasing the load spring. In this type of combination, the latch responds to a torsion in the spring which carries the latch to its return position.
This type of mechanism is somewhat complicated and requires a carefully adjusted assembly in order to ensure its efficiency. At the same time, the mechanism is not sufficiently versatile to be used on any type and shape of lighter.
Likewise, the actuation mechanism cannot be used apart from the casing that houses the actuation mechanism since it requires an insulated cabinet.
On the other hand, ignition units are used in lighters, which utilize piezoelectric ceramics or crystals wherein deformation of the piezoelectric on returning or impact force can produce a sufficient potential difference to produce a spark between the electrodes associated therewith. These piezeoelectric materials are shaped as cylindrical cartridges with at least one pair of the cartridges being housed axially within an adequate casing. One end of the casing is capable of receiving an impact to produce a deformation of both cartridges and produce a potential difference between its electrodes. The cartridges have their positive poles coinciding with the adjacent terminals, and their negative poles coinciding with the opposite terminals.
This arrangement requires accessory elements, such as a high tension conductor that, upon emerging from the intermediate contact point between both piezoelectric aligned elements, leads to the positive terminals of the lighter and a housing or conductor plate in contact with both opposite ends of the pair of cartridges and leads to the negative pole.